Periscope seal



Sept. 18, 1951 PERIscoPE SEAL Filed oct. 9, 1947 IN VEN TOR. lfm d/mm?, 5A?.

IgE/AM w. J. GILBERT, sR 2,568,392

Patented Sept. 18, 1951 PERISCOPE SEAL Walter J. Gilbert, Sr., Indiana,

Syntron Company, ration of Delaware Pa., assignor to Homer City, Pa., a corpo- Application October 9, 1947, Serial No. 778,972

9 Claims. l

This invention relates generally to seals between concentric members having relative rotary and longitudinal movement therebetween and more particularly to seals for use on submarine periscopes.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a seal for use on the inner concentric tubular member of a periscope which permits it to be rotated and moved axially of the stationary member and which will prevent the leakage of water at variable pressures during the operation of the periscope.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

A practical embodiment illustrating the principles of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section showing the stationary tube with the periscope tube mounted therein together with the seal mounted on the form;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the seal mounting plate assembly shown in Fig. l.

Referring to the drawing, I represents the stationary tube which is rigidly secured in sealed relation 'with `the hull of the ship.' The lower end of the Istationary `tube I is provided with a uniform annular face 2 having a series of spaced longitudinally disposed threaded openings v." for 'receiving the studded bolts Il which lproject beyond the lower face 2 of the tubular member I.

The plate assembly which carries the annular sealing member consists of the ring-shaped bottom plate member 5 together Iwith the ringshaped top members 6 which have the same ex- L ternal diameter, the top plate being of less thickness and providing a cap, the upper surface of which abuts against the finished surface 2 on the lower end of the tubular stationary member I. Each of the rings 5 and 6 are provided with suitably aligned openings l and 8 for receiving the studded bolts 4 which bolt them in assembled relation to the tube I.

The bore of the bottom plate 5 is provided with an upwardly open annular trough I which g is approximately one fourth the depth of the bottom plate but is spaced from the lower end thereof. The bore of the flange ll, which forms the lip of the trough lli, provides the smallest diameter bore of the bottom plate ring 5. Below I the trough lil `the bore of the ring is beveled as indicated at E2. The top surface I3 of the flange II is arranged to carry the annular sleeve member Ill by means of its radially extending ange I5, the under surface I6 of which is Aar- 2 ranged to engage the top surface of the annular flange II. The radial flange I5 of the sleeve I4 projects over the trough I0 and is provided with clearance between its outer surface and the larger bore Il' of the bottom plate rings 5.

The upper surface of the annular flange I5 is also provided with an annular trough I8 defined by the upwardly extending annular tip I9. From the trough I8 to the upper end of the sleeve I4 the outer surface of the latter slopes ltoward the external surface of the periscope and is serrated' as indicated by the interrupted pockets or grooves 2 I. The trough I8 and the external serrated surface 2I, which join on the outer surface of the sleeve I4, are arranged to receive the sealing member 22 which may be vulcanized or otherwise secured to the sleeve I4 and is constructed from any suitable elastomer such as y natural or synthetic rubber or other suitable plastic material, all of which are capable of withstanding salt water and a grease lubricant.

The sealing member 22 has projections which t in the grooves 2I and a foot that fits into the groove IB. The upper end of the sealing member extends materially beyond the upper end of the sleeve member I 4. The bore of this sealing member 22 would normally be out of contact with the periscope tube 20 if it were not held in place by means of the annular garter spring member 23 which ts in the groove 24 formed on the outer surface of the sealing member 22. If the garter spring 23 is removed the upper portion of the rubber sealing member becomes a free body and will tend to flare outwardly as illustrated in dotted lines at 25 in Fig. 1. The groove 24 is formed between two spaced radially disposed flanges 26 and 2l' ywhich extend annularly around the upper end of the sealing member 22. The outer surface of the sealing member 22 increases in diameter as illustrated at 28 as it approaches the flange I5 of the `sleeve I4. Said surface includes a flat annular surface as illustrated at 31E for the purpose of receiving the retaining band or hoop 3| which is preferably constructed as a continuous annular metal band that may be forced on the annular surface 30 of the sealing member 22 restraining the same under initial compressive force against the periscope tube 20. The hoop 3l rests against the shoulder 32 and the perimetral surfaces of this hoop is suiciently small in diameter so as not to have clearance with the stationary parts when the periscope tube 25 is rotated.

The annular foot of the sealing member 22 that is positioned in the groove I8 of the sleeve I4 is arranged to carry an annular wearing ring 33, the top surface of which is extended radially outwardly and is arranged to mate in sealing contact with the corresponding surface 34 on the underside of the top plate member 6, the latter being secured to the bottom plate member 5 by means of the screws 36 which clamp the two members together with a gasket 31 therebetween. The annular sealing surface 34 on the underside of the top plate 6 represents the stationary sealing surface against which the wearing ring 33 bears in rotary sealing engagement. When the screws 36 are tightened on the gasket 31 to direct the upper and lower plates together and on the flange I5 of the sleeve and properly position the wearing ring 33 at the proper gauge thickness relative to the gaskets 31 and determine the deformation of the foot of the packing element 22, this adjustment determines the pressure between the relative rotary sealing surface of the wearing ring and the top plate.

The groove IE! within the bore of the lower plate is provided with an inner sealing ring member 38 which is retained by a metallic band 39 disposed within the annular recess formed in the outer perimetral surface of the sealing member 33. This sealing member is likewise made of a suitable elastomer material such as that employed for constructing the sealing member 22. The flanges 4I), formed by the recess 4I in the seal member 38, are constructed to flare axially outwardly so as to provide an initial pressure against the bottom of the groove I and the undersurface of the flange I on the sleeve I4 between which there is relative rotary motion. In view of the fact that the packing member 38 is held by a band against the inner surface of the flange II the packing remains stationary and relative movement is provided between the upper flange of the packing member and the undersurface of the flange I5 of the sleeve I4. Thus, any leakage of liquid passing the sealed wearing ring 33 will be entrapped by the expansible packing ring 38.

It is preferable to prevent any relative rotary movement between the sleeve I4 and the periscope tube 20. To provide a closed fit between the periscope tube and the sleeve I4 a tight tting wedge sleeve 42 is secured to the bore of the sleeve by means of the screws 43. This frictional engagement, together with the frictional engagement created by the packing member 22, prevents relative rotary movementv between the sleeve and the tube. However, the tube 2Il is arranged to move axially of the sleevewhen adjusting the periscope for different elevations. In order to maintain a smooth and uniform movement between the periscope tube and the sleeve I4 with its packing, an annular groove 44 is provided in the undersurface I6 of the flange I5 which groove is arranged to open to the vertical passageway 45 that connects the radial passageway 46 to a grease gun fixture 41 on the outer side of the lower plate 5. The groove 44 is also connected by means of a, passageway 48 to a point at the apex of the sleeve I 4. It will be noted that between the end of the sleeve I4 and the packing member 22, a small annular space 50 is provided to receive the grease that is forced through these passageways by means of a pressure lubricating gun. Thus, when the annular space 50 is maintained full of lubricant under pressure, it will be uniformly distributed over the surface of the telescope permitting the latter to its packing. It is usually only necessary to apply grease to lubricate the inner surface of the seal during the use of the periscope. In lubricating the periscope the grease under pressure merely counteracts a portion of the pressure created by the garter spring 23 that compresses the outer end of the packing 22 on the periscope tube.

This seal provides a substantially water-tight joint which permits the periscope tube to be readily adjustable by relative rotation as well as longitudinal movement.

I claim:

l. In a seal the combination of an outer tubular member and an inner coaxially concentric cylindrical member having relative rotary and longitudinal movement therebetween, spaced opposed annular metallic sealing surfaces carried in the bore of the outer tubular member and in sealing relation therewith, a metallic sleeve having a sliding t on the perimetral surface of the inner cylindrical member, a radial flange on said sleeve extending between said spaced annular surfaces and seated for rotation on one of said surfaces, an annular sealing element of elastomer material carried by said sleeve and flange and extending beyond one end of the sleeve, ring means carried by the elastomer sealing element to retain it in sealed relation with the sleeve and the inner cylindrical element but permitting the latter to move axially thereof, and a metallic wearing ring wholly supported by the elastomer sealing element and engaging said other annular metallic sealing surface to permit relative rotary movement but prevent leakage of uid therebetween.

2. A seal for the movable tube of a periscope on a ships hull which consists of a stationary ring sealed with the ships hull and having spaced inwardly extending annular shoulders, a periscope tube, a sleeve having relative slidable movement on the tube and within said ring and having an integral annular radial flange extending between and having one side engaging one of the shoulders of the ring, an annular elastomer sealing element mounted on the other side of said flange in sealing engagement with the tube and the sleeve, and a wearing ring carried by the elastomer sealing member and engaging the other of said shoulders.

3. A seal for the movable tube of a periscope on a ships hull which consists of a portable stationary ring mounted in sealed relation on the ships hull, spaced upper and lower inwardly extending annular shoulders on Said ring, a periscope tube passing through the ring, a sleeve having relative sliding engagement on the tube and having a radial integral annular flange bearing on the lower shoulder, an elastomer sealing element mounted on the top of said flange and sealing with said tube and said sleeve, and a metallic wearing ring carried by the elastomer member and bearing against said upper shoulder.

4. A periscope tube seal consisting of a stationary member comprising an upper ring and a lower ring-arranged to be mounted in sealed relation to the ships hull, the upper ring extending inwardly to form an annular shoulder, an inwardly and upwardly extending annular shoulder on the lower ring in spaced relation to the shoulder formed by the upper ring, a periscope tube movable in said rings, a sleeve slidably mounted on the periscope tube, a radial flange on the sleeve extending between said upper and lower shoulders and journaled on the latter, tubular elastomer means seated on the top of the shoulder and readily slide up and down through the sleeve and extending beyond the upper end of the sleeve,

a wearing seal ring carried by the tubular elastomer means and engaging the under side of the upper shoulder. and means to engage the elastomer and hold it in initial pressure engagement with the periscope tube.

5. The structure of claim 4 characterized in that the upper end of the sleeve and the elastomer member have complementary conical surfaces.

6. The structure of claim 4 characterized in that the upper end of the sleeve and the elastomer member have complementary conical surfaces, which are provided with interlocking sections.

7. 'I'he structure of claim 4 which also includes a second elastomer ring mounted with initial compression between the under side of the ange and the outwardly extending portion of the lower shoulder.

8. The structure of claim 4 which also includes grease 'tting means and connecting passageways for conducting lubricant from the lower ring through the journal of the sleeve to the surface of the periscope tube.

9. The structure of claim 4 which also includes a retaining band on the elastomer member to hold it on the sleeve.

WALTER J. GILBERT, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Ble of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

